US retailer Target will discontinue its three-year diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, joining Walmart, Amazon, Meta and other prominent American brands. 

The announcement arrives in the wake of President Donald Trump's directive to federal agencies to cease DEI programmes, alongside his appeal to private entities to abolish what he termed "illegal DEI discrimination and preferences." 

Target will also conclude its Racial Equity Action and Change initiatives in 2025 as planned.  

In a rebranding effort, Target's Supplier Diversity team will be renamed Supplier Engagement, purportedly to better represent its global procurement process's inclusive nature, with a greater emphasis on supporting small businesses. 

Target will also cease participation in external diversity-related surveys, such as the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index. 

It will prioritise the development and mentorship of its employee resource groups, ensuring these communities remain accessible to everyone. The company is also reassessing its corporate partnerships to ensure they align with its growth strategy. 

Congressman Sylvester Turner from Texas' 18th District criticised the retailer's move on platform X: "Target is making a mistake by ending its DEI goals with its customer base being highly diverse." 

DEI programmes have been instrumental in advancing opportunities for historically marginalised groups such as women, ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ individuals.  

The initiatives gained significant momentum following the 2020 nationwide protests against police violence towards unarmed Black individuals. 

Target's most recent workforce diversity report for 2023 showed 33% of its board members were women, and 33% identified as racially or ethnically diverse.  

Within the company’s global workforce, 56% of hourly employees, 51% of exempt employees and 50% of leadership team members were women. 

Costco Wholesale's shareholders recently voted decisively against a proposal that sought an analysis of the potential risks associated with sustaining its DEI initiatives.